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Flyn bows to Tanbaru. "Thank you, my friend; it would've been much rougher, maybe nigh impossible, to complete our mission without your assistance. We have yet an item to secure before we leave here though..."
Upon seeing the Sky Key fragment, Flyn sighs...and then frowns, murmuring, "Why would he just leave it out in the open?"
The Elf takes a closer look at the fragment and the table it rests on...
Flyn's suspicion, as usual, is well-founded. He notices that the Sky Key fragment is placed to cover small holes in the stone table. Removing the fragment would be like pulling out a plug - and you would let something out. Flyn guesses whatever it is, the intention would be that it releases immediately, and so the most likely thing is some sort of gas.
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Flyn shakes his head. "Ah, there it is...nasty little bugger...this Chergin chap was not very trusting..."
He goes to work on disarming the trap...
If successful, he'll secure the fragment, wondering if even this will placate Aram Zey...
Flyn then heads over to the prisoner who called out. "Hold on, my friend. We are Pathfinders and we'll try to free you..."
He'll try to unlock the manacles with the key they found back at the forge...
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Zaarah looks at the bloodied and pierced body of the Duergar and shakes his head.
"I have to say that you guys are more terrifying than the old group of people that I worked with." she says with a confused smile.
Zaarah casts detect magic.
When she sees the Wayang she immediately runs to the cell!
"Oh dear Chaldira, what happened to you!?"
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Ischell's large size prevents him from getting away from the blast, and the fire consumes him. His skin grows red for a moment, dispersing some of the heat across his form.
His kama slowly spins to a stop, as the Druegar falls.
Never even landed a shot... he silently thinks to himself.
As the other pathfinders begin the exploring, Ischell paces around the chamber- keeping an eye on the surroundings to ensure that nothing else finds its way into their chamber.
"Stellar job there Dude!" he calls out in encouragement to Flyn.
------
As it comes to the Oni...
"What sort of promise or bond would hold such a creature? While each has their own- some dudes just can't be trusted, ya know?"
Flyn plugs the holes in the stone table with wax and safely retrieves the Sky Key component.
Tanbaru regards Ischell: "Mortal, you have no comprehension of the workings of the Celestial Bureaucracy. My name is Tanbaru. I was charged with protecting a sacred site - part of this mountain. I did not choose that task, it was assigned to me and I could not refuse. I failed in my assigned duties. Chergin Ironwhip was the architect of that failure, and made me the creature I am now. I was not always so. Your actions have given me the opportunity to choose - and that is a rare gift to one such as I. Most rare. I will repay my debts. Out of choice. Mortals do not recognise what a privilege choice is. I savour it."
You free the wayang using the keys taken from Mueritt, the smith. He introduces himself as Swareti. “Thank you, thank you, I cannot thank you enough for defeating that horrible man. He sent a raiding party to my village to capture and enslave. He and that Mueritt force us to work day and night, until we are too tired and weak. They say if we don’t keep up, they will sacrifice us to their god. So many people have already been taken away, and they never return. I collapsed and woke up here, chained to the wall.”
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Zaarah nods.
"I am sorry for what happened to you! I learned a lot from Wayang like you. My ... my blade's soul might even be a wayang." looking at her black blade intently.
"I will help you to get out of here. But ... but I do not know if we can rescue everybody here." Zaarah says with a heavy heart.
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After securing the Sky Key fragment, Flyn addresses Tanbaru again. "I owe you a debt as well, my friend; your assistance was key in completing our mission. Not sure if Aram Zey will see fit to send me this way again, but if he does, I'll try to repay you. Regardless, I'll tell the rest of the Pathfinders that we have a friend here..."
To the wayang, Flyn replies, "You are most welcome. We Pathfinders are against slavery of all kinds...and we are happy to help you escape your chains. The Pathfinders Society is a friendly group, despite what you might've heard from others...
"You mentioned there were other wayangs enslaved?"
"Come this way again? Oh no, no. I'm not staying here friend. I'm coming with you." Tanbaru flies back to Flyn, and merges with him once more.
"You're Pathfinders?" Swareti shrinks away, frightened. He looks at Zaarah's sinister sword. Then he takes in the scene of carnage - two exploded duergar, two more with fatal arrows sticking out of them, an upended table and wooden splinters everywhere, and Chergin Ironwhip's corpse half merged with the stone floor - and shivers. "But - you freed me?"
"My people are slaves within the mountain. There are too many duergar for even..." he pauses a moment, looking at the dead. "For even mighty heroes such as yourselves to defeat." There is a note of uncertainty when he says the word 'heroes.' "You have a key to the manacles. I have a plan. The slavers cannot tell one wayang from another. Give me the key, and I will go back into the mountain wearing unlocked manacles. When the duergar are not looking I will unchain my fellows. We are quick and quiet, and see as well as any dwarf in the dark. We will flee the mountain."
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Flyn chuckles as Tanbaru re-melds with him. "Aye, my friend, that's the least I can do for your help..."
The Elf hands over the key to the manacles to Swareti. "Here's the key. Are you sure you don't need any help? I'm pretty stealthy myself and I can see well in the dark, for short periods of time. You have but to ask..."
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Looking back at the duergar half implanted into the ground, "Honestly we had hoped it wouldn't have come down to killing him, or any of the others." She reloaded her weapon with blackpowder once again, but stowed it for the time with a piece of cotton shoved into the barrel once again, "I honestly hope not to need any further fighting. Swareti, if we may assist you however in any manner please let us know. Even if you all manage to escape, what stops them from coming after you again?"
"You are not at all the kind people we were led to believe... if you are willing, then come with me. You can divert the duergar guards and make my task a good deal easier. It will mean more fighting. I cannot demand this of you. But my people and I are most grateful. And whilst we cannot guarantee that the duergar, or others, will come for us again, we will be better prepared in future."
Humbled by your selflessness and further offers of aid, Swareti leads the willing back into the mountain....
...you help Swareti free many of his people. The wayang are overjoyed, and swear eternal friendship with you. The duergar do not pursue you as you put Slave Mountain behind you.
You leave the tapestry and return to the Grand Lodge.
Aram Zey is staring at the tapestry, deep in thought: "Well? What did you find? What did you learn?"
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Flyn gives a curt bow to Aram Zey; he speaks softly as he reveals the Sky Key fragment. "Here is the fragment you requested. You might wish to know that the only dwarves there now are duergar and they are both hostile and evil; they had the key fragment and we had to fight to retrieve it. My companions performed admirably and went above and beyond their duty...
"Also, the Aspis have slandered the good name of the Pathfinder Society. Most of the tapestry residents we encountered were either initially hostile or were frightened of our reputation. We were able to make some friends there...and one of them came back with us...we might not have succeeded without his help...
"Tanbaru, you can come out now..."
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"Don't mess with duergar 'kings' who have fire spells, it's important to remember that you can call upon the power of an angelic being you've aided before, and I really need to work on my breaststroke. That and I really need to work on my own spells and combat in order to protect myself and my allies going forward, i feel like you all would have had a much easier time through all that without me. Though I must learn and it was truly an honor to see you all in action."
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Flyn shakes his head. "I disagree, Lynn; you were an important part of in our mission's success. Along with Zaarah, you were essential in soothing and calming Grodel...and in turn, we gained a friend who provided information on the duergar and likely whereabouts of the Sky Key fragment. You were also the one who brought down Chergin's blade barrier, not to mention how you raised our morale during battle. You did very well indeed..."
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Zaarah starts laughing after hearing Lynn.
”You are a foxy fox! You are awesome! Always think that we are the best this world has to offer and then you might not have reached reality! You are a foxy fox! You are awesome! Always think that we are the best this world has to offer and then you might not have reached reality! Ehhh ... “ she says the sentence twice almost confused about that herself.
”Aram, This was an excellent mission and I am especially happy that we were able to see so many of my second dearest little people escape oppression! Thanks for the opportunity!“ she says smiling.
”And you other people are just unbelievably crazy good! Stay awesome! Stay sharp!“
"Tanbaru, at your service Pathfinders."
The oni detaches from Flyn, becoming visible once more. It nods in a semblance of a bow towards Aram Zey, who raises one eyebrow quizzically. "You brought a Spirit Oni back to the Grand Lodge, Flyn. This is going in the Chronicle for certain."
"I will honour my bargain with your agents. They may call on me to repay my debt to them. I was glad to aid them against Clan Ironwhip." Tanbaru remains, watching.
Zey continues: “The transformation of Naldak’s descendants into duergar was an unexpected and unfortunate development. However what matters is that you recovered another piece of the Sky Key. You successfully completed your mission.” The Master of Spells returns his attention to the tapestry. After a few moments, he barks, “Why are you still standing around? Do you want an award for doing your jobs?”
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In the following days, the Grand Lodge buzzes with excitement over the discovery of another piece of the Sky Key. The story of the your deeds grows out of proportion, and several junior Pathfinder agents ask you to tell tales of how you defeated thousands of duergar without sustaining a single scratch!
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Flyn looks the Master of Spells directly in the eye. "By Erastil's antlers, I did; after what Tanburu did for us, it was the least I could do for him..."
At Zey's curt dismissal, Flyn gives an equally curt bow. "By your leave," he mutters as he departs...
Once away from Aram's presence, the ranger addresses his friends. "'Twas an honor and my pleasure to serve with you all; I would welcome journeying with each of you again...should you ever need me, my bow is yours."
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Zaarah, a scrawny girl with auburn hair and amber eyes. She is standing with closed eyes. Her features seem Chelaxian but also have something else mixed in.
She is wearing light mithral armor and carries a black pulsing Scimitar at her hip that is attached to her wrist with a very fine chain.
Zaarah seems to be dreaming ... pulled her into her state of trance ...
She suddenly stands up and draws her Scimitar that is so black that it almost absorbs light.
"I know exactly what you mean Mesh! I want to puke on the Zey guy’s feet... " she says angrily. She seems to listen to something and intently looks at her black magical sword.
”Ha ha ha ... “ you hear as she bursts into laughter. ”Oh Mesh!! You are so naughty!!“
She turns towards no one in particular and has a slightly absent view when she starts speaking.
"You know ... I am glad I see familiar faces!!"
5 seconds of silence
Tears are visible in her eyes.
"... well ... I always say this to new people I meet so ... sometimes what I say might sound crazy but I promise it will be logical!"
Suddenly, she starts smiling.
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"Master, I am glad you sent me through the portal. Caught me off guard, for sure- but it was, like, totally necessary."
He turns to the others he fought along beside.
"You dudes rocked it in there! I don't think I have seen shooting like that before, Flynn- or just coordination between dudes like that in general."
Lastly he turns to Antonella, his casual tone and manners disappearing. He bows formally, with all the respect due a master of the Irorium. [b]"You have inspired me on my journey for having served along side you.
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Lynn bounced next to the others as they left though a bit unsure of what Zaarah was on about, "Don't worry, Master Zey is like that... I bet he's just hiding his excitement, he might also not be that impressed it's hard to tell."
As they exited into the lodges grounds, "I suppose this is where we part ways for the time being, make sure to book passage on the Gilded Mast if you ever need to get anywhere Pathfinders get half-off on their travel expenses. I shall also continue my training and excel to catch up with all of your skills, so until the next we meet I wish you all safe travels."